McDonald's to Add Calorie Counts to Menus To Remind You You're Eating McDonald's

This coming Monday, McDonald's will let you know just how many calories you're throwing down. (If you read that sentence like the movie trailer voice-over guy it gets more ominous). According the release, the menu won't change other than you'll see a bunch of scary numbers by the chain's burgers and fries. McDonald's (and other chains with 20 or more restaurants) are already doing this in some locations, like New York and Philadelphia, but now it'll be nationwide.

So, here's the burning question: Will it stop the freight train that is your fast food craving? A McDonald's craving is deep and psychological. Consuming McDonald's needs to be done alone, possibly in the dark. Often you may feel a little like Gollum with the ring after consuming it. While you're considering this, here's something to think about: evil sodium counts.

A Quarter Pounder with cheese clocks in at 520 calories, which is not the worst thing in the world. A Big Mac has 550. You could do worse. Except, wait, the sodium counts are much more intimidating: 1,180 mg (49 percent of your daily recommended intake) and 1,000 mg (42 percent). An Angus Bacon & Cheese has a don't-feel-too-insanely-guilty-790 calories, but a punch-your-own-face 2,070 mg of sodium. That's pretty much of all the sodium that ever happened. Of course, that's all sans the fries or apple pie or side salad. This is all tedious, but my point is: You won't see the scary sodium counts on the menu. The full, guilt-inducing information is available on their "Menu Explorer," so you can be the Amerigo Vespucci of your own meal's health negatives.

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